1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to cages/crates for dogs and other small animals, and more particularly to a pet crate that is collapsible and easily transportable, durable, easy to maintain, and inexpensive to manufacture.
2. Prior Art
The present invention relates primarily to collapsible/portable pet crates or cages that are lightweight, durable and compact. Many owners, trainers, breeders and veterinarians recommend dog crates as a convenient and humane tool for training puppies and to provide a safe environment for housebreaking, travel, and general control. Over time, the crate becomes the dog's den, which he regards as his home, rather than a cage that confines him. As such, portable crates are particularly useful for dogs at dog competitions such as agility, conformation and obedience trials due to their light weight and breathable nature and even more importantly because the dog can be put at ease due to his familiarity with the den, despite the significant stresses on the animal at such events.
Such portable crates are also utilized by families traveling with their pets so that the animals will have a familiar place to sleep. Not surprisingly, in such instances the more compact a crate is, the more likely it is to make it on the trip. Unfortunately, many crates are too large and cumbersome or they simply cannot be collapsed to a small enough size to travel. Further working against many prior art crates is that they are typically quite expensive to manufacture and assemble.
There is thus a need for an inexpensive collapsible crate that is easy to transport, yet durable enough to meet the needs of both human and animal.